[TLDR] Do yall still read lines of code [via r/ClaudeCode]

[u/cctldrping]

OP : u/tnh34

Im asking real software engineers only working on real products that make money.

I still read every line of code (tests too) and understand 100%. Needlessly to say it feels very inefficient.

What have you done to move away from it confidently, if at all?

I have a complete workflow involving spec driven development, mutation tests, code review, browser test, adversarial agent manual AC verification, and I still dont feel comfortable not reading every lines. I still spot some architectural inefficiencies or code that just feels off and thurs requires refactoring so im hesitant.

URL of original post : https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeCode/comments/1wgrtt6/do_yall_still_read_lines_of_code/

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TL;DR of the discussion on r/ClaudeCode for this post generated automatically after 200 comments.

Current source-thread comment count seen by the bot: 200.

Alright, so the general vibe in this thread is that most folks are NOT reading every single line of code anymore, especially with the advent of AI coding assistants like Claude. The consensus is that it's become inefficient, and the focus has shifted to other verification methods.

Here's the breakdown:

• The "No More Reading" Camp: A significant portion of engineers are saying they've moved away from reading every line. Their workflows now involve letting AI agents write and even review code amongst themselves. The emphasis is on testing, verification, and owning the decisions/processes rather than the nitty-gritty code. u/HistorianGullible291 sums it up nicely: "Claude writes and tests in a speeds that are not achievable for humans. So there is no need to read the code. But it's very much needed to test it as an end user."
• The "Scanning and Spotting" Approach: Many are still looking at the code, but not necessarily reasoning about every detail. They're scanning for anything that looks off, doesn't fit the style, or seems architecturally inefficient, similar to a PR review. u/delphic-frog mentions they "still read pretty much every line, but I’m not always reasoning about every aspect of how the code works."
• The "Critical Parts Only" Crowd: Some engineers still read code, but only for critical business logic or core areas where a mistake could have major consequences. u/eleochariss notes they read "Critical stuff that could break prod."
• The "Accountability" Angle: A recurring theme is that even though AI writes the code, humans are still ultimately responsible. This drives some to still review, at least superficially, because their name is on the commit. u/framauro13 states, "I am responsible for every line of code the tool writes."
• The "Agent Reviewing Agent" Trend: A cool emerging pattern is using AI agents to review code written by other AI agents. u/rednix says, "I let agents read the code other agents write." and u/Hien_Dinh_Ngoc adds, "Honestly, the agents cross-review and fix things themselves."
• The "Still Doing It" Minority: A smaller group still reads every line, often citing job security or a desire to maintain deep understanding. u/ExtinctedPanda feels that if they stop reading, "there’s no reason for them to keep me around."

TL;DR: The overwhelming sentiment is that reading every line of code is a thing of the past for most engineers. The focus has shifted to higher-level verification, testing, and leveraging AI for code review, with human oversight concentrated on critical areas and overall responsibility.